Jane Froman (November 10, 1907 – April 22, 1980) was an Americansinger and actress. During her thirty-year career, Froman performed on stage, radio and television despite chronic injuries that she sustained from a 1943 plane crash.

Ellen Jane Froman was born in University City, Missouri, the daughter of Anna Tillman (née Barcafer 1874-1962) and Elmer Ellsworth Froman. Her childhood and adolescence were spent in the small Missouri town of Clinton. When Froman was about 5 years old, her father mysteriously disappeared and was never heard from again. Her mother later remarried William Hetzler. Froman developed a stutter around this time, which plagued her all of her life, except when she sang.[1]

In 1919, Froman and her mother moved to Columbia, Missouri, which she considered her hometown. In 1921, at age 13, Froman and another young lady gave a piano-and-song recital at Christian College,[2] now Columbia College (Missouri) (where her mother was director of vocal studies and from which Froman later graduated[3]). In 1926, Froman graduated from Christian College and later attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism.[3] Two years later in 1928, Froman moved to Cincinnati, where she studied voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music through 1930.[4]

Although she had classicalvoice training, early in her career she was drawn to the music of the era's songwriters, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, who were inspiring a resurgence in popular music. She met vaudeville performer Don Ross when they auditioned for the same job at WLW radio station in Cincinnati. She first appeared on WLW October 9, 1929 "on the King Taste night club."[5] She made her national network debut on NBC July 31, 1931.[6] She was heard on the Florsheim Frolic program, broadcast on Sunday afternoons.[7] Froman and Ross had their own program beginning July 4, 1937.[8] The 13-episode series on the NBC Red Network[9] was a summer replacement for The Jack Benny Program.[10]

On January 4, 1948, Froman joined the cast of The Pause That Refreshes, a Sunday evening music program sponsored by Coca-Cola on CBS. It was her first regular role on radio after the plane crash.[11]

There she joined Henry Thies' orchestra and was a featured vocalist on a number of Thies' Victor recordings. Convinced she was star material, Ross became her unofficial manager and persuaded her to move to Chicago where he worked for NBC radio. In 1933 Froman moved to New York City where she appeared on Chesterfield's Music that Satisfies radio program with Bing Crosby. In 1948, she joined the cast of The Pause That Refreshes, a Sunday night music program on CBS.[12]

In 1933, Froman joined the Ziegfeld Follies, where she was befriended by Fannie Brice.[3] In 1934, at age 27, she became the top-polled "girl singer."[13] The famous composer and producer Billy Rose, when asked to name the top ten female singers, is reported to have replied, "Jane Froman and nine others."[1] Radio listeners apparently agreed with Rose, because Froman emerged atop a nationwide poll as "the number-one female singer on the radio" in 1934.[3]

Froman is credited with three movies, Kissing Time (1933),[14]Stars Over Broadway (1935)[15] and Radio City Revels (1938).[16] Beginning October 15, 1952, she was a host of Jane Froman's U.S.A. Canteen, a 30-minute CBS Saturday program in which "talented members of the armed services appeared with Froman."[17] On December 30, 1952, the length was reduced to 15 minutes with a twice-a-week schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The title was changed to The Jane Froman Show in late 1953. It ended June 23, 1955.[17]

Froman was severely injured as the result of an aircraft crash on February 22, 1943. She was aboard a USO plane, a Boeing 314 named Yankee Clipper (tail number NC18603). Yankee Clipper was carrying Froman and 38 others and as the plane was banking into a descending turn for approach, the port wingtip caught a wave, whereupon crashing into the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. One of fifteen survivors, Froman sustained severe injuries: a cut below the left knee nearly severing her leg, multiple fractures of her right arm, and a compound fracture of her right leg that doctors threatened to amputate. Before flight, Froman had given her seat to another passenger, Tamara Drasin, who was killed in the crash, an action which her biographer Ilene Stone said "bothered her her whole life."[1]

The co-pilot, John Curtis Burn, who broke his back in the crash, fashioned a makeshift raft from portions of the wrecked plane to help keep himself and Froman afloat. After being rescued, they were sent to the same convalescent home, where they battled their long recoveries together.

Less than a year after the crash, Froman returned to Broadway to perform in a revue, Artists and Models. She wore a leg brace and sat in a wheel chair after having had 13 operations for her injuries.[18] She underwent 39 operations over the years and fought amputation and wore a leg brace the remainder of her life.

She returned to Europe and entertained American troops in 1945. Despite having to walk with crutches, she gave 95 shows throughout Europe. During the late 40s Froman became addicted to painkillers and, when they didn't ease the pain, supplemented them with alcohol. However, she successfully overcame both problems subsequently.

Froman's life story was the subject of the movie With a Song in My Heart (1952), starring Susan Hayward as Jane. Froman was deeply involved in the film's production: she supplied Hayward’s singing voice[20] and served as the film's technical advisor. The Capitol album of songs from the movie was the number one best-selling album of 1952 and remained in the catalogue for many years. DRG recently re-issued the album on a compact disc along with the 1952 revival cast album of Pal Joey, in which Froman sang the role made famous by Vivienne Segal, Vera Simpson.

A Choice CD called Jane Froman on Capitol is a collection of her Capitol Recordssingles and tracks from albums. From 1952-1955 Froman starred on CBS-TV. Her first program, USA Canteen, had servicemen in the audience. The program was renamed The Jane Froman Show and the format was changed to a twice weekly 15 minute program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After the show was canceled in 1956, Froman appeared on various programs for the next few years. She also appeared on stage in Las Vegas.

Froman was the only surviving child to Anna T. Barcafer and Elmer Ellsworth Froman.[21] Froman married Donald McKaig Ross, also known as Don Ross, in September, 1933 and divorced him in February 1948. After her divorce, Froman and John Burn were married shortly after on March 12, 1948 only to be divorced eight years later in 1956. She later moved back to Columbia, Missouri and rekindled with an old college friend, Rowland Hawes Smith. The two were married on June 22, 1962.[22][23]

After years of hard work and success, in 1961, Froman retired to her home in Columbia, Missouri. After her retirement, Froman continued the volunteer work for which she was known throughout her career. She devoted more time to groups such as, the Easter Seals campaign and the Missouri Mental Health Association.[22]

In 1969, Froman came out of retirement to sing in a Christmas program at Arrow Rock, Missouri, which helped aid the Jane Froman Music Camp. Froman started this project to help young people develop their musical talent.[21]

Froman died April 22, 1980, at her home in Columbia[20] of cardiac arrest caused by chronic heart and lung disease. She had never completely recovered from an automobile accident on December 24, 1979.[3] Her funeral was held April 25, 1980, in Calvary Episcopal Church in Columbia.[23] She is buried at the Columbia Cemetery.

In 1957, the Jane Froman Foundation, which assisted the children’s hospital at the Menninger Clinic, which the funds from her many fan clubs help support. Froman volunteered with numerous charitable organizations, some being the Easter Seals campaign, which helps individuals with developmental disabilities and the Missouri Mental Health Association,[21]

Froman was known for her contralto vocals.[24] There are three biographies about Froman, the first two written by Ilene Stone: One Little Candle: Remembering Jane Froman and Jane Froman, Missouri's First Lady of Song. In addition, a newer, in-depth biography, Say It With Music - The Life and Legacy of Jane Froman, by Barbara Seuling, was published on November 10, 2007, to coincide with the centennial of Froman's birth.

In honor of what would have been Froman's 100th birthday, a gala, The Jane Froman Centennial Celebration was held in Columbia, Missouri the weekend of November 9–11, 2007. A DVD of the movie, With a Song in My Heart, with added new segments, was premiered on November 9, 2007, and is now widely distributed by Fox Home Entertainment.

For her numerous contributions, Froman was awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: for Radio at 6321 Hollywood Blvd.; for Recording at 6145 Hollywood Blvd.; and for Television at 1645 Vine Street..in Hollywood, California.[25]